Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/957171
www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | APRIL 2018 | 5 PLASTIC PROBLEMS: A University of Manchester study has found that microplastics from urban river channels are a major contributor to ocean pollution. Although some 90 per cent of microplastics in the oceans are thought to originate from land, the study found contamination throughout the network, including a site on the River Tame at Denton that had the highest levels so far recorded anywhere in the world. The Beast from the East wreaked havoc throughout Britain, and Northumbrian Water crews were among the hardy workers who had to battle the elements to fix frozen pipes, network disruptions and power cuts to keep the water networks running. QUOTE OF THE MONTH "There is evidence that water companies – your water companies – have not been acting sufficiently in the public interest. Some have been playing the system for the benefit of wealthy managers and owners, at the expense of consumers and the environment… Change has to come." Environment secretary Michael Gove's warning at the Water UK conference Irish Water, in partnership with Leitrim County Council, has begun upgrade works on the Manorhamilton and Mohill wastewater treatment plants as part of a €3.5 million investment by the national utility. The work is designed to ensure environmental compliance and protection of the receiving waters at both locations. The upgrades will modernise both plants and improve energy efficiency, while also ensuring adequate spare capacity, which will facilitate future population growth and economic development. The improvement works are due to be completed in early 2019. £50m The funds Yorkshire Water plans to invest in IT over the next four to seven years, which it hopes will increase innovation, save time and help minimise customers' bills. It has brought in eight partners under a flexible framework that will cover areas such as application management and infrastructure. 15 The number of minutes Scottish Water hopes to spend carrying out water sampling as it trials an online bacterium monitor that it says "completely revolutionises" current methods, which can take up to five days. GOOD MONTH FOR… Stonbury, which has announced a new framework with South East Water for major refurbishment, cleaning and inspection. A er five years as reserve contractor, Stonbury has been awarded the position of main contractor within the framework, running for an initial five-year term from 2018 to 2023, with a three-year option to extend to eight years. BAD MONTH FOR… United Utilities and Anglian Water, whose pension scheme changes saw them facing industrial action from workers. United Utilities said it was "disappointed" that around one-third of its employees called strikes in March over a cut to their staff pension scheme; Anglian Water, meanwhile, rejected the Unite union's claim that it was "seeking to provoke strike action" by refusing to enter talks at Acas over the closure of its final salary pension scheme, with a spokesperson saying "the unions refuse to be open about what support there is for their position, if any". GETTING STARTED NUMBERS SNOW BUSINESS Picture credit: Jamie Woodward